


Things You Said When You Thought I Was Asleep

by TheMikeWheelers (jasongracefully)



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M, Future Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-16
Updated: 2016-10-16
Packaged: 2018-08-22 17:25:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8293946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jasongracefully/pseuds/TheMikeWheelers
Summary: Prompt from tumblr, El wakes up with Mike asleep next to her on November 7th, years after the events in 1983





	

A crying baby wasn't the worst reason El could be awake at 2am, so without complaint she went to cradle her daughter back to sleep. 

She looked as her husband, Mike, he was still asleep in their bed, the cries from the other room not waking him. 

She attempted to get up quietly, and tiptoed over to the crib one room over. Seven month old Emma was sobbing her small eyes out. El picked her up and started to hold the young girl, pulling her in and rocking back and forth. 

She eventually calmed down, so El put her back to sleep. She went to get herself some coffee, knowing it would be a long day tomorrow. 

It was then that she looked over to the calendar and saw the date. November seventh. It was the anniversary of so much. Of escaping the lab, of being caught in the storm in the woods, of meeting Mike. All those years ago, on this day. 

El smiled, thinking back to how far she'd come since then. She was just a scared twelve year old with no sight in the world, yet here she was. She had a husband and a daughter she loved. She had friends and a family. She had all the love she never knew back then. 

She knew she should try to get some sleep, so she walked back into her bedroom, Mike still asleep when she lied down. 

El pushed herself close into his chest, breathing in his scent. 

Everything was quiet, no sounds but the gentle noise of crickets outside. The world was at peace. No monsters in the closet, no sobbing babies, nothing but the noise of their breathing. 

She whispered into his shirt the same words she'd said time after time, but she never felt any less behind them. 

"I love you."

Mike started to mutter, he must not have fully been asleep. He made a few incoherent moans before pulling El into him and whispering simply, "I love you more." 

"Do you know what today is?" She questioned him. 

Still heavy with sleep, he didn't respond so El answered for him.

"It's November seventh."

With that he was awake, eyes opening and all the memories coming back to him.

Mike didn't know what to say to that. There were too many things in his mind unable to be translated into words. 

He simply pulled El into a long kiss and finished by murmuring, "I love you so so so much," he paused for a few moments, "Why are you awake?"

"Emma was crying."

Mike got a concerned look on his face, the same look she fell in love with, "Is she okay?" 

"Yeah, just a little upset, I think a nightmare." 

They both had their fair share of nightmares. They had spent so many years comforting each other from them and now they wished nothing but peaceful sleeping for Emma. 

"I think you should try and get some rest. If she starts crying again, I can take care of her." 

El adjusted herself so she was on her back, her neck bending to the side, "I just had coffee, I don't think I'm gonna be sleeping much."

"Just try, I can make sure Emma stays asleep," He gave her a quick peck on her forehead, "I love you, go to sleep." 

It had been so many years, yet here he was, still looking out for her. It was a long time ago that she fell asleep in his childhood basement her first night away from the man she once called her Papa, and here she was. Now sleeping in her own home, as free as she could be, with so many she loved around her, and the same boy who pulled her out of the rain still doing all he could for her. 

She gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek, "Thank you."

"For what?"

'For everything,' she wanted to say, but instead she just spoke, "Nothing. I just love you. Goodnight." 

And before she knew it, she was asleep, head on his shoulder, all the memories of 1983 far behind her.


End file.
